Aushaira

Chapter 1

***AN/ Like I said, this is my first story ever, so criticism is welcomed. Please VOTE/comment and let me know how I'm doing.***

Once a year, on the Full Blue Moon, which typically falls sometime in the end of the year depending on the celestial calendar, the annual Mating Ritual is held on the Sacred Land. The Mating Ritual is mandatory for all unmated wolves over the age of twenty by order of the Alpha-King. Twenty is the age when you become a fully matured wolf, or in other words, ripe for the mating.

The elders always say that the Mating Ritual is a beautiful thing, when young love sprouts, but we all know they mean when the next alphas and lunas are born. But really the Mating Ritual is a blood bath waiting to happen, where alphas kill other alphas for their prize-excuse me-mates. But it's not just the males who kill, but also females who kill for the best of the best of males. And this year will be no different.

No, in fact, it will be even worse. Rumors have spread through all of Aushaira (UH-sh-air-a) that the alpha-king-to-be, Dariston, is to be attending this years Mating Ritual. It will be a massacre, the males will be on edge, but the females...they will kill the fluffiest, most innocent rabbits if it means they can mate with him.

I really have no opinion on the guy, seeing as I've never met him, but I don't really think he'd be worth all of the fuss that these petty females are making. My whole goal is to survive the darned thing without getting my throat ripped out, getting a mate is the least of my concern. Don't get me wrong, I do want a mate, I mean it's practically every wolfs dream, it's ingrained into our female brains to find the most worthy male and mate, I'm just more concerned with surviving. Many of these wolves attending have already attended three or four rituals, as it is required to attend, but not all find a mate. So maybe I'll find a mate, maybe not, but I am determined to walk off those Sacred Lands with my life.

Liliana, my personal maid, finishes braiding my golden brown hair into a messy braid-crown and I stare into the mirror. A pair of bright emerald green eyes stare back at me through thick black eyelashes, underneath neatly groomed eyebrows, examining my light smattering of freckles across my nose and cheeks, my small dimples giving me the "innocent" look. I chuckle at the thought, innocent is something I am not.

"Miss Accalia, you look beautiful." I snap out of my inner thoughts and look at Liliana, "We've known each other for years Lili, I've practically memorized every fleck of gold in your amber eyes," Lili snickers at this, "you don't have to be so formal all the time." She sweeps back her thick black hair and sighs, "I know, but I'm just worried about you. I know your strong, but not everybody is lucky like me and gets a sweet, loving mate. You, of all people, deserve a good, loving mate after everything you went through." I blink back the tears and look away, pretending to be strong but she knows I'm still struggling.

"Sweety, your parents will be watching over you, protecting you, and they will be so proud of you." I attack her in a hug and whisper, "Your only two years older than me and only four months pregnant and you already sound like a mother. Between you and Marric, little Accalia jr. will be so loved." She laughs at my subtle hint and pats my back, "Alright, alright, you need to change before Callum drags you out of here."

She hands me my clothes for the ceremony and I change quickly into a black sweetheart neckline dress, with emerald green lace over the black material, covering from my waist up to my bust, continuing to my shoulders, leading to three quarter sleeves. The emerald green lace fading at my waist into black leading to a slightly puffed skirt that ends right above my knees. I pull on the black ankle boot heels and tie the laces. I finally walk out to Lili and she completes my smokey eye with bright red lip stick and hands me the black opal earrings and ring my mother gave me a few years back.

I walk over to my full length mirror and stare. "I know I said you looked beautiful before, but you look absolutely amazing." I look at her through the mirror and reply, "Callum is never going to let me live this down." "Accalia, Callum will be the least of your worries with all the males that will be chasing after you! You look SEXY!" I felt myself smirk and say, "I always look sexy." Lili laughs and mutters, "Yeah, cuz every guy loves the 'I-don't-care-sweatpants' look." I just shook my head and left shouting on the way out, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, go find your beloved Marric so you can place bets on how long it will take for me to roundhouse kick someone again!" She laughed and shouted, "I won last time!"

__________________________

"Hey, look who finally decided to look like a girl?!"
"Shut up Callum."
"What? Mascara in your eye?"
"Accalia, you look beautiful." Callum's mate, Thessalia complimented.
"Thank you Thessa. See? That's how you greet someone!"
"Be careful Thessa, she might give you cooties. That is definitely bad for the baby." Callum said, like a four year old I might add. For someone who is twenty-four, with two pups, a mate who's pregnant with a third, AND alpha of the strongest pack west of the Sacred Lands, The Golden Delta Pack, he sure acts like a little child with a flair for dramatics.

Callum may act like a child, but he is very strict when he is not with his family and close friends. He has a reputation throughout Aushaira to be strict, hard, and serious, but he is known, only by those who are close to him, to be a just alpha who only wants the best for his pack and family.

Matrius, Callum's beta, and Fenris, Callum's gamma, walk in shouting something but freeze mid-stride and sentence. I come to realize they are scrutinizing me, and my wolf, Aster, growls. Everyone but them seem to notice and they all hold there breath, waiting for what they know will come next. I walk over to them seductively, drool practically dripping out of they're hanging mouths, swaying my hips and practically purring, stopping in front of them, I give them a second of bliss before I roundhouse kick both of them in one effortless kick.

They both smack hard into the wall behind them while I charge outside to the waiting ceremonial grounds, all the while I hear Thessa and Callum loosing it. I then see Marric giving a smirking Lili however much money he lost in their bet.

Callum, Thessa, Matrius, and Fenris all walk out to the ceremonial grounds on the pack land, where everyone in the pack is finally gathered, which is about five hundred if I remember correctly. All four of them walk onto the stage, where Callum announces the beginning of the send off ceremony.

Callum calls all unmated wolves attending the Mating Ritual onto the stage. I reluctantly stand in the front, as required, since I am of alpha blood. The rest line up beside me in order of rank, sadly, I am standing next to Matrius followed by Fenris, both of which happen to be sporting new bruises on their faces and egos. Ignoring them, I continue to observe the lineup. There seems to be about the average number of wolves from our pack attending this year, if I had to guess, maybe thirty to thirty-five. My thoughts are cut off as my brother begins his long speech to which I only half-heartedly listen to.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate these wolves as tomorrow they will be attending the Mating Ritual in the Sacred Lands. The Blue Moon will shine bright tomorrow and lead many to their mates to bring new mates, new beginnings, and new love. We ask the Moon Goddess, Atrovia, to protect our loved ones and guide them to their futures." Thessa then begins the long process of introducing us each individually to the pack, asking Atrovia to bless us. "Now let us celebrate!" And with that, Callum kicks off the singing and dancing and general merriment of the night.

I look around and see many are very excited for this years ritual, but I can't bring myself to be, and I notice many females are struggling as well. But I have one thing that they don't, my fighting abilities. Don't get me wrong, The Golden Delta Pack is strong because ALL members are fighters, including women, but they haven't been trained like I have, they don't have the alpha blood that I have, and unfortunately, some of these females will die. I momentarily think about the other females out there who have had no training at all, the fear they must feeling right now must be great. But the males, no, they look to be having the time of their lives. Drinking, laughing, singing, dancing, all with the assurance that they will survive.

I, like many of the females, decide to retire early in the night, opting to gather as much rest as possible for the long journey tomorrow.

***AN/ The attached picture is what I imagine The Sacred Land as, but feel free to imagine it however you want.***